All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz
Summary: During the summer leading up to her sixteenth birthday, Aurora (known as Roar) witnesses a fatal accident that needlessly takes the life of a young Mexican mother. Roar’s father is a lawyer and an activist and is determined to make sure Tomás and his daughter Rosa receive compensation for the loss of their loved one though they are living in California and Thomás is an undocumented worker. As Roar meets and falls in love with Forest, the son of the woman whose reckless driving is responsible for the death, her world becomes tangled up in her dad’s. But Roar’s perpective is best viewed through the lens of her camera, and as the summer progresses she deals with her first relationship, finally coming to terms with her mother’s abandonment and renewing her relationship with her dad.
Number of Pages: 279
Age Range: 15-17
Review: Set in farming community of California, All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz explores the real challenges of using illegal, Mexican immigrants as undocumented workers to tend to and harvest the crops. The double standard that exists is startling, as while the workers are necessary for the care of a farm, they are exploited at every turn. When Tomás’ wife is killed in an car accident by a white woman, there is some doubt about whether he will ever see justice. But Roar’s dad is determined to strike a blow for workers’ rights in the state, even though the struggle itself seems to affect everyone but him.
This is only a piece of the story though. The other part of the story is about Roar, a fifteen year-old girl who has been moved to a farm on the whim of her father to become an expert in organic farming. Her mother is long gone, and while Roar waits in vain to hear from her, she experiences many moments of grief over her mother’s absence. Used to being a city girl, Roar takes time to adjust to feeding chickens and learning to grow crops.
But while her father is a champion for the workers and for organic farming awareness, he is missing out on Roar’s life. Roar learns things are more complicated between her parents than she thought, and her growing beauty is a painful reminder for her father of the love that he has lost. It is clear both have been profoundly affected by Roar’s mother’s absence, and trust in others is something that needs to be developed. Perhaps this is why Roar herself is an observer, preferring to view the world through a camera lens and taking pictures that capture rare moments of honest emotion.
Reading Prinz’s book just makes me want more. I’ve read Vinyl Princess by her as well, and she creates wonderful, empowering female characters that are easy to care about. With the background of learning about the Mexican workers and American attitudes toward illegal immigration, I was hooked. I loved the nickname of Roar, because in her own way she does roar and makes herself be heard. This was a happy re-read for me, as I enjoyed the vibrancy of the story and how Prinz makes farm life come alive.
There is also a romance with some physical involvement, which is why I have placed the age range in the 15-17 group. Roar meets Forest knowing his mother is responsible for Thomás’ wife’s death, but they still connect and friendship blossoms quickly into Roar’s first relationship.
Memorable Quotes:
“Being loved by someone who isn’t your parent, someone who wanders into your life and slowly comes to know you and understand you, is sort of like being reborn. You walk around knowing that under his gaze, you are lovable, desirable, interesting, funny, and beautiful. No one has ever looked at me like this before. No one has ever made me feel this way with just a few words or a glance or a touch. The whole concept of two people falling in love like in the movies or on TV has always seemed so stupid to me. I’d roll my eyes and look away. But this thing I have with Forest is much more than TV love. It feels real. I love the way I feel knowing that someone is thinking about me this way. It makes me see myself in a whole new way.” – Roar from All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz, page 188
“As I sit on the dirt floor, I think about how, until yesterday, I unconsciously reserved a place on this farm for mom even though I had no idea if she’d ever see it. I often picture her taking part in the victories and the losses of our little operation, and whenever I did a chore or took on a project, I carried on a running dialogue, explaining in detail what I was doing, as I imagined my mother looking on with interest, eager to learn. Even the little things like planting a seedling properly or hanging out the laundry or removing the corn from a cob, I would share all of it with her. And now, twenty-four hours after our conversation, all that is in the past. I’m the ‘woman’ of the farm now. I feel a sense of loss but I also feel oddly powerful. No matter what I do in my life, I’ll always know that I can do almost any job on a farm that a man can do and I can probably do it just as well. I made my dad feel bad about dragging me out here but I was only trying to punish him. There’s something about farmwork that makes you feel whole and strong. Maybe it’s the closeness to the earth, maybe it’s just being out here in all this open space, but now that I’ve lived this way I can’t imagine not living this way.” – Roar from All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz, page 232
“One of the things that you learn when you live on a farm is that change comes at you whether you’re ready for it or not. Every season is punctuated with its own smells and tastes and you find yourself looking forward, waiting for the next thing to come along so you can take a bite of it. When we lived in the city, this marking of the seasons didn’t seem to happen to us. We drifted from one season to the next without thinking about it too much. This life is very different. It’s so much more than putting on a sweater or grabbing an umbrella. It’s about setting your internal clock to the sun and the moon and the seasons. The longer I do it, the better I understand it. It’s not something you can teach. You have to live it.” – Roar from All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz, pages 263-264
All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz is published by HarperTrophy Canada, (2011).
Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes
Summary: Living in a future plagued by overcrowding, Lisse and her friends are graduating into a world that has no jobs for them. Thanks to the robots who are now able to do almost every job there is, created when Earth’s population was in decline, Lisse is facing a life with no purpose, just pure leisure. Sticking together in the designated area for the unemployed youth, Lisse and the others make the best of their situation, until rumours of The Game reach them. Bit by bit, they collect details about The Game, hoping to be invited to play. And when they are, it will change their lives forever.
Number of Pages: 179
Age Range: 13-15
Review: CAUTION: REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Imagine a world where graduating means becoming unemployed for all but a precious few. Like any good dystopia, it isn’t too hard, because this concept has more than a whisper of truth in our current society. But in Lisse’s world, when pollution begins to decrease the population, humans turn to robotics to fill the gaps in the work force. Eventually the human population rebounds, except by that point robots are doing so many jobs that humans are pretty much unnecessary. Unbeknownst to people outside the government though, steps are being taken to remedy the situation.
Hughes paints the government as being irresponsible, with possibly evil intentions as Lisse and her friends end up in what is essentially a ghetto. The rumour of The Game made me think of books like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and The Running Man by Stephen King, but it wasn’t like either. Instead Lisse and her friends are subjected to something they don’t understand, believing it’s a game that has the potential to fulfill all of their dreams. It turns out not to be a game, but I couldn’t have been more surprised when I realised that though there were some false pretences involved, it was still the dream fulfillment they were looking for. Being sent to another planet and starting over gave them direction and meaning, and a chance to make a change for humanity as a species. In that way, Hughes’ story is profound.
Near the end, as Lisse is unravelling the reasons behind why each of them are there, she leaves out herself. At the very end though, she is revealed as the conscience of the group, the reflector, and the writer. It’s a great touch on Hughes’ part, because it shows the value of a community that thinks before it acts and is ultimately held accountable for their decisions. Invitation to the Game is Lisse’s reflections of what happened to them, and how they came to be starting over on a new planet, seeding humanity for the future. It’s an enlightening, philosophical read, and I look forward to enjoying more of the many books Hughes has written.
Memorable Quotes:
“We all moved over to give him room and introduced ourselves. He said his name was Charlie and that he’d been out of school and unemployed for a year. That surprised me. He seemed to me to be a whole lot older than that, but perhaps one aged fast in the city. It always seemed odd to me that our life expectancy should go down when ther was no poverty, nor the tension of having to earn a living. Maybe boredom was aging.” – Lisse’s impressions of Charlie from Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes, page 35
“‘The “why” is simple,’ Karen answered. ‘Overcrowding. No jobs. An explosive situation getting worse. I don’t think they ever realized, when they invented the robots to take over after the population fell so drastically, that it would be impossible to get rid of them once things got better. It’s a problem governments have always had. You can’t go back and undo things – you have to go on, it seems, even if the mess just gets worse and worse.'” – Karen from Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes, page 162
Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes is published by HarperTrophy Canada, (1990).
The Ehrich Weisz Chronicles: Demon Gate by Marty Chan
Summary: Following his brother Dash through a mysterious portal, Ehrich Weisz is thrust into another dimension with a steampunk twist. Though he is all alone, believing his brother has been lost forever, he quickly adjusts to this new world and becomes a demon hunter, policing the so-called ‘Dimensionals” that come through a stable portal entrance in New York City. It’s the time of Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison, and with the American Civil War a part of recent history, the conquered are looking to get vengeance. With a stable portal and the help of a powerful alien race it seems the South will rise again, and when Ehrich gets wind of the plan he must find allies and a way to stop it.
Number of Pages: 261
Age Range: 13-15
Review: There are two main aspects of The Ehrich Weisz Chronicles: Demon Gate by Marty Chan that especially caught my attention. The first is Ehrich himself. He’s quite the character. Despite tumbling into another dimension while trying unsuccessfully to save his brother, Ehrich is incredibly self-sufficient and finds his way in an alien world. At first he just survives, but then he thrives, rising up the ranks to become a demon hunter. No one knows he is one of the Dimensionals he is supposed to be policing, and instead of dwelling on the past he just goes forward with his life.
With a mysterious medallion passed on from his brother, Ehrich hears him at times but doesn’t understand the medallion’s meaning. But then one day he sees his brother, alive, and everything changes as he tries to figure out what happened to him and how to save him. When the odds are against him because an alien named Kifo is possessing his brother Dash, Ehrich keeps on fighting for him in a big brotherly way.
All of this is set against the backdrop of the second intriguing aspect of the book, a steampunk society in the 1800s, after the American Civil War. Only this is a different American, because although the North still won the war, a portal exists in New York City that aliens from other dimensions pass through all the time. It’s an America with aliens. And yeah, I couldn’t help but wonder if Chan was trying to make a bigger point by the aliens being like the immigrants that came to America, treated poorly because of their accents and generally looked down upon, but I might be reading too much into it.
Either way, it made me think. If the South had had assistance and won the war, what would America be like today? I’m interested to see where Chan takes the series, because I think it has a lot of potential from a historical standpoint.
Otherwise it was simply a fun read. The story moves quickly and has great characters. The action is intense and scary at times but also highly engrossing. Another awesome steampunk adventure!
Memorable Quotes:
“Amina cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention. ‘My mother used to say that sharing a meal reminds us life is a journey we take together, no matter where we are from. Mahindaize was the major crop in my world. Mahindaize sustained my people. Hzintalli is a stew made from what survived the invasion.’
‘It reminds us that life perseveres,’ Mr. Serenity added.” – Amina and Mr. Serenity explaining the significance of their meal to their friends from The Ehrich Weisz Chronicles: Demon Gate by Marty Chan, page 257
The Ehrich Weisz Chronicles: Demon Gate by Marty Chan is published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside, (2013).
Blaine’s Way by Monica Hughes
Summary: Asked to recount the experiences of his childhood on tape for the sake of prosperity and his new grandson, Blaine begins his story from when his parents lost their farm. Progressing onward from when he was six years old, he tells of moving in with his grandparents and his mother leaving the farm, hoping to pursue her dreams in Toronto. Blaine has his own dreams of getting out into the world, and when World War II comes along he doctors his birth certificate and signs up expecting adventure. What he does get is more than he bargained for, and a new appreciation for life on the farm.
Number of Pages: 224
Age Range: 13-14
Review: Somewhere along the way, I forgot the whole story was actually a grandfather talking to tapes for his grandson and namesake. I was so wrapped up in the tale of his childhood that coming back to the present, years later, was a bit of a jolt.
It’s a classic story of life on the farm in Ontario during the Depression, and how World War II was an opportunity turned ugly for a lot of young men. I know Blaine had a wanderlust just like his mother, but I couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if the war hadn’t come along. Would Blaine have ever left the farm? Was it really necessary to have him venture out into the world only to be struck down and maimed? Realistic, perhaps, because he was a soldier who participated in the Battle of Dieppe, but terribly, terribly sad. Returning home after you go out into the world because you realise it is where you want to be is one thing, but returning home injured and out of necessity is another. Was Blaine simply making the best of a bad situation? I don’t know for sure.
But I did like the theme of passing on stories and memories to the next generation. I was also fascinated by Monica Hughes’ exploration of life during the Depression, and the stark contrast the start of World War II brought to reinvigorate the economy.
I’d recommend it for early teen readers, probably in a history class setting.
Memorable Quotes:
“A car came by and stopped to pick him up. I stood at the bottom of the lane staring along the dusty road. He didn’t want my love. He didn’t want anyone’s love.
I struggled with this idea. Slowly, I began to understand that after Mom had hurt him, not just the once when she left, but over and over again up till that last moment, he wasn’t going to let himself be hurt by anyone ever again. Even if he had to shut out the whole world shut out the pain.
‘That’s crazy,’ I thought angrily. ‘You can’t do that. You might as well be dead.'” – Blaine observing his father from Blaine’s Way by Monica Hughes, page 138
“The time we shared that summer, talking about books, escaping into the world of Cavaliers and Roundheads, of D’Artagnan and the Cardinal, was like the still point at the centre of a hurricane. Outside, things were beginning to change. On the surface, there was just the haying and the wheat and oats and tobacco. But beyond our everyday life, it was as if a great clock was ticking.” – Blaine talking about the last summer before WWII began from Blaine’s Way by Monica Hughes, page 159
Blaine’s Way by Monica Hughes is published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside, (2006).
Chance to Dance for You by Gail Sidonie Sobat
Summary: Ian, a dancer and twelfth grader with a penchant for human rights, is unabashedly himself at all times. Supported by his mother, grandparents and best friend Tilly, Ian has always had the freedom to let everything hang out, even the fact that he likes other guys. But Jess, the school’s football star, is not that lucky. With a homophobic army dad, gay is the last possible thing he can be. When Jess backs Ian up against a locker and kisses him, it’s a shock for everyone. So begins a tormented relationship that seems doomed to failure as Ian is out and Jess isn’t. This conflict shapes their story, and the consequences for Jess if anyone finds out about them keep getting worse. Unfortunately, it is Ian who will have to face them.
Number of Pages: 172
Age Range: 15-17
Review: It’s hard to know where to begin.
I love the theme of taking back language. Words like faggot and sayings like “That’s so gay” are meant to hurt, but Sobat makes an impressive point about claiming language to take the pain of it away. Ian freely uses stereotypes of people who are gay, as well as slurs he knows are circulating to either describe himself or to point out where things aren’t true. And by doing so he claims their power and protects himself. At first it’s a startling read because of his word choices, but once I realised how empowered he was by words, I got it.
Ian loves and loses, big time, but he is not a victim. He remains resolute in his determination to be who he is, and to pursue what he loves. Sobat shows us that being irrepressible does not mean being a stone. You’re allowed to cry and hurt and both of those things still don’t make you a victim. It’s an attitude. Jess is a victim, Ian is not. In that respect I feel sorry for Jess because he doesn’t realise it can be a choice. He had choices if he was willing to explore them.
It sounds corny, but love gives us wings. Chance to Dance for You is, in some ways, a tragic story, but also a cautionary/comparison tale. Ian is loved and supported on all fronts except at school. Jess is supported at school for being a football star, but is clearly only loved at home if he obeys the rules. And what happens? Ian is free to be himself, and Jess is not. And even when Ian does get beaten down for being himself, the love surrounding him enables him to get back up again. Terrible things have happened to him but I know he will be okay.
Jess’ story fills me with overwhelming sadness because the demon he was truly fighting was himself. Yes, he had his father’s disapproval weighing heavily on him, but it got internalized into such an intense self-hatred that I wonder if he didn’t step in when Ian needed him because he thought it was deserved. Did he imagine himself in Ian’s position? Jess never had the courage to put love before perceived reputation, but in a way it is hard to fault him.
Constant music references add so much to an already excellent story. I loved the ones that triggers songs to play in my head, and the ones I was exactly sure about just encouraged me to look them up. I asked Sobat on Twitter if there’s a master playlist in existence, but I haven’t heard back yet. Hoping there is because now I have a plethora of songs free-floating in my head. I love the emphasis of music being such a powerful and motivating factor of Ian’s life.
Sobat is right, with a good librarian, libraries are neutral, safe zones. I can personally attest to finding them as source of comfort and a place to find friends who are also ‘misfits.’
Quite simply, it’s a book that touches my heart because Sobat highlights the need to expect more from people. That despite sexual orientation, gender, ability, socio-economic status, etc, there are certain standards of how we should treat ourselves and others, as well as expectations we should have. I connected with Ian in his recovery because although Sobat uses sparse sentences, she hits the nail right on the head by capturing feelings of being left behind and having a lot of time to think.
I’m sure there is more I could write but suffice it to say I absolutely love this book, and Ian is a compelling character I carry with me as inspiration for how to live my life. Highly recommended.
Memorable Quotes:
“So where do misfit kinds like Robert and me go? Well, there’s the library. It’s a neutral zone. And the librarian, Mrs. Nesbitt, gets it. She gets that kids like me need a safe zone. So I hang out there once or twice a week. I see Robert in there, too.” – Ian from Chance to Dance for You by Gail Sidonie Sobat, page 35
“Anyone who thinks dance is for sissies is an idiot. Dance is incredibly demanding. Athletic. I can kick higher than most black-belts. But I am almost always sore. Some muscle is always hurting or pulled or strained. My feet are punished and already look older than seventeen.
It’s the price dancers pay. Dancing makes me feel alive. Anything is possible. I go into a zone where all there is are breath and body. I am intensely aware of everything and nothing all at once. I invent routines. Characters. Assume the great roles of dance: great princes, downtrodden lovers, proud warriors. I feel possessed and often lose track of time. Sometimes I’ll be late for Whitleigh classes. English is right after lunch. But I don’t care. Because of dance, I understand Hamlet in a way no other kid does.
I have been transported to Denmark in a way they will never be.” – Ian from Chance to Dance for You by Gail Sidonie Sobat, pages 38-39
“That’s another great heterosexual myth. That all gay guys want a piece of some straight guy’s ass.
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Most gay guys are pretty picky. (Well, this one is.)
Most straight guys don’t even have great asses.
Neither do gay guys want to wind up on the end of some straight guy’s fist. Or flat on the floor. Or dead and hanging bloodied on a fence in a field.
So I keep my eyes mostly to myself. I’ve mastered the surreptitious glance. The nonchalant nod. The sneaky squint.
Once in a while there’s a little eye candy.
But most often, I wouldn’t stop to buy at the confectionary.” – Ian from Chance to Dance for You by Gail Sidonie Sobat, page 40
“‘Look,’ Tilly’s soft voice again. ‘You’re a great person, Ian. You care about all the right stuff. I love you no matter what. Here’s what my moshum says: we learn all kinds of things, find solutions to problems even, by being quiet. By just listening. To nature. To each other. To the world around us.’ She touched my arm, since I wasn’t looking at her. ‘Let’s try it for a few minutes.'” – Tilly addressing Ian being called a know-it-all from Chance to Dance for You by Gail Sidonie Sobat, page 64
“‘And Ian?’
I peeked through my fingers at my mother.
‘You’re not a freak of nature. No matter what anyone may say about or write about or spit at you. You are a wonderful young man. An incredibly talented, bright, sometimes too mouthy but still loveable young man. Who happens to be gay.'” – Ian’s mother’s response to him realising he’s gay from Chance to Dance for You by Gail Sidonie Sobat, page 68
“Some people say that guys don’t and shouldn’t cry. That it’s not masculine. Manly. I don’t buy that. Maybe if more boys and men cried, the world would be a healthier, saner place. I don’t know, but I think so. My mom always says that she feels a great weight off her shoulders after the occasional good sob-fest. I get that tears are kind of an important release. Why should it be different for guys? Whether straight or gay guys? It’s that femme-y idea again. Guys who cry are like guys who dance. Prancing nancies. But I’m not effeminate, despite the male dancer stereotype. And I do cry and I did cry much of that night.” – Ian from Chance to Dance for You by Gail Sidonie Sobat, pages 133-134
“Being beaten up makes you think. Gives you time while you heal. Too much time. Or just enough. Depends on your point of view.” – Ian from Chance to Dance for You by Gail Sidonie Sobat, page 165
“Some days are pretty boring. It’s hard to watch your friends go off to their lives when your own is on hold.” – Ian from Chance to Dance for You by Gail Sidonie Sobat, page 169
“I am going to dance to save my life. My heart.
I am going to dance because, like Mr. Monaghan told me and Alex assures me, there is more than one way to be a man in this world. More than one way to participate. To make change. For the better. Or at least I’ll dance, trying.” – Ian from Chance to Dance for You by Gail Sidone Sobat, page 172
Chance to Dance for You by Gail Sidonie Sobat is published by Great Plains Teen Fiction, (2011).
Beyond the Precipice by Eva A. Blaskovic
Summary: Living for six years with the guilt of a terrible secret only his brother knows, Bret is now an eighteen year-old young man haunted by the past. Hanging onto his father’s opinions about his gift for music, Bret is determined to get a practical education as a doctor. But as a musical savant with genius level intelligence, he can’t help but be drawn to the music department at his university. It is there that he meets Nicole, a cellist endeavouring to join the Calgary Symphony Orchestra, and finds a safe place with her and her family to confront his memories and move into a future that supports his dreams.
Number of Pages: 380
Age Range: 17-18
Review: In a story about secret shames and self-defeating attitudes, my favourite part about Bret’s tale was reading about his masterful command of music. The nickname of Mozart was apt, because he seemed to be able to feel music in the air and could play any instrument he picked up, regardless of whether he had played it before or not. Bret could even play more than one instrument at once, and had such an innate understanding of music that he could verbalize his talents effectively, teaching others to be better musicians in the process.
But holding back this monumental gift is the voice of Bret’s father. Convinced singing and being a musician, composer or conductor isn’t practical, he discourages his son at every turn, trying to guide him into a more lucrative profession. And when Bret’s father dies when Bret is only 12 years old, all of that disapproval is locked into him, along with a perceived secret that his brother Drake proceeds to exploit to his benefit.
Beyond the Precipice details one young man’s journey to deal with his demons, and this happens because of the support he receives from his new friend Nicole and her family. They seem to simply take him in as one of their own, and loved him unconditionally even when the truth of his secrets came out. Kern, Nicole’s dad, is almost like a fairy godmother to Bret, providing him with the financial stability he needs to change programs at school, and a place to live. Bret blossoms with their love and attention, also forming a stable relationship with Nicole.
The parts about music were breath-taking, and I was happy that Bret’s life had taken a turn that would allow him to embrace what he is meant to do. Described as a psychological read, the story contains a powerful message about learning to trust others despite being hurt in the past. It’s also a cautionary tale about how receptive children are to their parents’ attitudes and behaviours.
In that sense, it’s a mature read for older teens. The story is also a bit unusual because it contains footnotes explaining Canadian terms like ‘tuque’ and our units of measurement. I found this odd because I’ve always been of the opinion that if I don’t understand a term in a book I should just look it up in another book, but I guess Blaskovic’s publishers did not feel the same. Unfortunately this just serves to draw attention to the ‘Canadian’ bits and make the reader more aware it is directed toward an audience outside Canada. It took me some time to get used to, especially when terms like ‘black ice’ were defined. But I did end up thinking about aspects of our culture that I had never given a second thought to.
Memorable Quotes:
“‘Think of it not as you playing the music,’ Bret said, ‘but as the music playing you.’
Colin put the mouthpiece to his lips, adjusted it. His silhouetted shoulders rose and fell. His breath was the only whisper in the room. A shaft of moonlight fell in from the space between the curtains, and was warmed by the yellow brass when it reflected.
The sound came, resolute, dancing on an unseen stage.
Bret’s mind dubbed in the rest of the band, and the trumpet frolicked with the other instruments, until they parted, and the solo began. Powerful and yet sensitive, brave as a trailblazer; exploring, pondering, hesitating pensively and then pressing on to the finish, there to rejoin the collective in a crescendo finale.
Colin rested the trumpet in his lap. For a few moments, no one moved.
‘Did you notice?’ Bret’s voice broke the stillness like a stone hitting the glassy surface of the water.
Colin’s silence was answer enough.” – Bret coaching Colin on how to get a trumpet solo at school from Beyond the Precipice by Eve A. Blaskovic, page 171
“Nature was writing the song for him. All he had to do was listen. In the thunder: the electric drums. In the wind: the woodwind harmony. In the rain: a piano melody. Then electric guitar and synthesizer, rain stick and his own voice – pressurized, building into an explosion of instrumental release, pellets of hail crashing into his body, the forces of nature thrashing about before peaceably fading, until only stray raindrops splashed from his skin.
Streamers of a setting sun subdued the trees into silence, diffuse in the misted air. In the west, where the clouds were breaking, shafts of sun attached to the ground, while in the blue-black east, a rainbow glowed, arching over a sea of green. Small birds flitted about amongst the trees.
He spun around in a circle. Everywhere he set his eyes, there was music – strings of notes binding together in harmonic dance. Guitar gliding down shafts of sunlight, the piccolo of birds’ flapping wings, bagpipes following the roll of the hills, flutes swaying with the grasses. His running footsteps were the drums: the bass, the throbbing of his heart. Piano dripped amidst the harmony of a strengthening rainbow. And, finally, an organ rushed in, a cresting wave breaking over a shore of grass.
It was Earth, and yet it wasn’t. He lay back and submitted to the dampness of the ground until the sun restored warmth to his body.” – Bret composing a new piece from Beyond the Precipice by Eva A. Blaskovic, pages 173-174
“‘We need to talk to my parents.’
‘No,’ he said. ‘We can’t go spreading my mom’s personal affairs around. She’d kill me.’
‘Look. This is how it works. You can’t always do things alone. You need people who know people. It’s not that they’re my parents. It’s that they’re people with experience.'” – Conversation between Nicole and Bret about seeking help from Beyond the Precipice by Eva A. Blaskovic, page 330
Beyond the Precipice by Eva A. Blaskovic is published by Ashby BP Publishing, (2012).
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